1: Blood 2000 Sep 15;96(6):2304-6

Lack of serologic association of human herpesvirus-8 (KSHV) in patients with
monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance with and without progression
to multiple myeloma.

Ablashi DV, Chatlynne L, Thomas D, Bourboulia D, Rettig MB, Vescio RA, Viza D,
Gill P, Kyle RA, Berenson JR, Whitman JE

Advanced Biotechnologies Inc, Columbia, MD 21046-2701, USA.
dablashi@abionline.com

Because human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) DNA has been found in multiple myeloma (MM)
patients by polymerase chain reaction, it was suggested that HHV-8 may play a
role in the transformation of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
(MGUS) to MM. Therefore, 362 MGUS sera with and without progression to MM were
tested for IgG antibody to HHV-8. Only 7.8% of the MGUS sera contained HHV-8
antibody to lytic proteins, and IgG antibody to HHV-8 latent antigen was even
lower than lytic antibody (2.9%). No differences were observed in the
distribution of antibody to HHV-8 in sera from MGUS patients who progressed to
MM. The seroprevalences of HHV-8 in MGUS (7.8%), MM (5.4%), and healthy donors
(5.9%) were similar, thus arguing for the lack of epidemiologic evidence of
HHV-8 participation in the pathogenesis of MM. MGUS patients were immune
competent in response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection because 97%
contained antibody to EBV virus capsid antigen.

PMID: 10979981, UI: 20435365